Is Magic’s Potential Offseason Trade Target The Right Fit?

The Orlando Magic’s biggest need is no secret. Now, one of their potential trade targets has been revealed as well. In an insider piece, The Stein Line’s Marc Stein and Jake Fischer report that:

“As a new offseason beckons, another (Portland) Trail Blazer has been increasingly projected as an Orlando (Magic )target: Lillard’s former Blazers backcourt mate Anfernee Simons. The 25-year-old is an Orlando native who would certainly blend in nicely from a timeline perspective alongside Banchero (22) and Wagner (23).”

Is Magic’s Potential Offseason Trade Target The Right Fit?

At this point, it’s pretty clear that the Magic need another volume scorer; a player that’s both support and safety net.

Like many star duos, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner can lead their team to victory against elite teams. In fact, while their numbers have been impressive, this is the true hallmark of their dominance. Over the past two seasons, Orlando has a winning record against the Indiana Pacers (5-2), Los Angeles Lakers (3-1) and Phoenix Suns (3-1). They’ve broken even with the Boston Celtics (3-3), Denver Nuggets (2-2) and Sacramento Kings (2-2).

However, they’ve done so while the team’s third-best scorer —Jalen Suggs —averaged 13.7 points per game. In that 110-game stretch, Suggs scored 20 or more points in 22 games.

Compare that with Lakers guard Austin Reaves and the difference is startling. A notable third option, Reaves has 57 games of 20 or more points over the past two seasons. With that in mind, even Celtics guard Derrick White —who isn’t known as a scorer —has 34 games with 20 or more points over the past two seasons.

Of course, having three strong scorers doesn’t guarantee a team make the playoffs. Just look at the Suns, who went 36-46 in the 2024-25 regular season. Nonetheless, it can be the difference between an abbreviated season had an extended one.

This should be abundantly clear to the Magic. In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, they scored just 100.3 points per game, losing in the First Round. Of note, Suggs scored 14.7 points per game last postseason. In the 2025 NBA Playoffs, they scored 93.6 points per game, losing in the First Round. Suggs, who had sustained a season-ending quadriceps injury, didn’t play at all.

Anfernee Simons, By The Numbers

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons hasn’t been in the playoffs since 2021. What little history he does have isn’t awe-inspiring. In 15 total games that spanned three postseasons, he averaged 4.7 points in 13.4 points per contest.

However, this came from 2018-19 to 2020-21, when he averaged 7.5 points in 17.5 minutes per game in the regular season.

Since then, Simons hasn’t been back to the playoffs. He has broken out though, averaging 19.9 points in 32.9 minutes per game. Over the past two seasons, he’s scored 20.6 points per game, recording 20 or more points in 67 games. In that same span, he’s scored 30 or more points in 20 games.